Hypnotherapy Techniques for Weight Loss

09 November 2021

Hypnosis is very successful in making people lose their inhibitions and do crazy things in the name of entertainment. But did you know that it also has an excellent track record in treating numerous problems like nicotine cessation, anger issues and phobias?

While there will always be the entertaining aspect to hypnosis, it’s used more and more in therapy to shift a person’s mind set and assist them in managing life-changing issues. Weight loss is one such issue that you can overcome with hypnotherapy as part of an integrated plan.

How Does Hypnotherapy For Weight Loss Work?

First off, it’s important to banish all memories of the hypnotist show you saw five years ago to the back of your mind. This is not the same thing, and you won’t be made to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. On the contrary, you’ll remain in control throughout the session.

Hypnotherapy for weight loss is about changing your mind set so that you see food in a different light. This enables you to make better choices and manage your weight better. It’s by no means a form of diet, but rather works to alleviate using food and eating as an emotional response to stressful or traumatic situations.

Most people know if they have bad eating habits, an unhealthy lifestyle, or use food to cope with issues that they are otherwise unable to manage. Acknowledging these bad habits is an excellent first step, but changing the way you manage eating is another thing entirely. It can appear to be an insurmountable obstacle, one that you throw all your avoidance tactics at with force. But it needn’t be that way.

Through hypnosis, therapists target the specific psychological issues or behaviours that cause you to use eating as a coping mechanism. They identify the triggers and provide you with alternate means of managing these highly-charged or habitual situations. Food becomes a response to feelings of hunger rather than a way to manage your emotions.

The Hypnotherapy Process

Hypnotherapy is also known as hypnotic suggestion. This phrase is an excellent way of describing the process in a nutshell.

When you’re in a hypnotic state, you subconsciously become more open to ideas and suggestions which then manifest into new behaviours. However, if your mind considers something unacceptable, it will close itself off to that idea as a protective mechanism.

Hypnotherapy takes time to be effective and have the desired result. It usually takes a course of sessions, the number of which differs from person to person. You can’t simply flick a switch and change your mind set. The mind is a fragile thing and must be handled with kid gloves.

The Four Stages of Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is completely voluntary and won’t be successful unless you are willing and able to succumb to this state of deep relaxation. We can break the process down into four distinct stages.

Hypnotic Induction

During this first stage, the therapist will induce hypnosis through one of several ways. The most common method is the relaxation technique, where you simply relax, focus on your breathing, and listen to your therapist’s soothing voice.

The relaxation technique doesn’t work for everyone, and your therapist may employ another method to induce relaxation. Other successful hypnosis methods are the following:

• The four-step induction - You are asked to close your eyes and imagine that you can’t open them. The focus on not being able to open your eyes leads to relaxation of your whole body.
• Eye fixation - You fix your gaze on an object or a spot. This could be a stationary object, or you may be asked to follow the spot with your eyes. Your eyelids eventually become heavy and you start to relax.
• Arm-drop technique - You hold your arm out vertically and focus on your fingers. Your arm becomes heavy and begins to lower. As it does so, your eyes start to feel heavy and close.

Hypnosis Deepener

During the first stage of hypnosis you achieve a state of relaxation. However, you may not be sufficiently relaxed to be open to suggestions. In this second stage, your therapist deepens the state of hypnosis, as the more relaxed you are, the more likely you’ll be to respond positively to ideas.

Visualisation is typically used here to deepen the hypnotic state. Deep breathing and counting are also methods therapists employ to further your level of relaxation.

The Therapy

Once you’re in a deeper hypnotic state, the therapy process can start. Although you are hypnotised, you can still communicate with your therapist, answer questions, talk about underlying issues and acknowledge suggestions.

This stage is, in essence, a discussion. Through leading questions, your therapist encourages you to open up about past traumas, concerns, and phobias that may be the underlying reason for your eating habits.

The Awakening

When the session comes to an end, your therapist will terminate your hypnotic state and gently return you to a state of full consciousness. The most common means of doing this is by counting from one to ten, or backwards from ten to one. As you count, you slowly wake up from your trance-like state and return to the here and now.

The Side-effects of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a pain-free, risk-free method of encouraging weight loss. While it’s not a pharmaceutical intervention, you may experience some of the following side-effects after your hypnotherapy sessions.

• Headaches
• Sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Feeling lightheaded

These side effects are short-lived and vary in instance and degree. They are mostly indicative of the deeply relaxed state that you experienced.

Final Thoughts

Hypnotherapy for weight loss teaches you to eat for your body and not your emotions, but it can’t work in a bubble. It’s a complementary therapy, meaning that it works best alongside other lifestyle changes, such as a healthy eating plan and an exercise program. Provided you are open to hypnosis, and find the right mix of diet and exercise, there’s no reason not to be successful at losing weight.

Related Articles

• Hypnosis For a Food Obsession
• Hypnotherapy for Weight Management
• Does Hypnotherapy Work for Weight Loss?
• Mindset for Weight Loss
• Make Your Hypnotherapy Session Worth It